1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine or a facsimile apparatus, capable of image forming in a desired image forming mode.
2. Related Background Art
Image forming apparatus such as a copying machine have recently entered the age of multiple functions, such as variable magnification, automatic density control, automatic sheet size selection, automatic magnification selection, multi-color, automatic two-side (both-side) image formation, image editing etc., and there is now a desired improvement in the operability, or development of novel function designating means in order to achieve optimum image formation, fully exploiting these various functions.
In such conventional apparatus, the users are often unable to fully utilize the functions provided therein, because a large number of selectable functions require complex methods and operations for the selection of such functions. Also, the number of operating buttons tend to increase with an increase in the number of selectable functions, but this fact becomes an obstacle in the compactization, simplification and cost reduction of the apparatus.
For this reason there has been proposed an image forming apparatus capable of automatically setting the image forming conditions by reading a special format sheet (for example marking sheet or mark sheet) in which the image forming conditions are marked in advance. Such apparatus allows a user to set the image forming conditions without complex key operations, so that the user can fully and easily exploit the various functions provided in the apparatus.
However, such setting of the image forming conditions will become unavailable in a case that special format sheet runs out or the user forgets to bring such sheet to the apparatus.